As the largest party, Nepali Congress (NC) called an all party meeting on Tuesday to formally propose a consensus government under its leadership at the Constituent Assembly building in New Baneshwor.

The parties headed to NC’s meeting as soon as the meeting of the legislative-parliament ended today. Although all thirty parties had been invited, RPP-Nepal and Madhesh-based parties did not attend the meeting.

After the meeting, NC leaders said that all parties are positive on the proposal but have not given a formal response.

“All parties appreciate that our party has taken an initiative to call the meeting for government formation,” said senior NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba. “They were positive about a consensus government under our leadership.”

NC had held consultations with the second largest part, CPN-UML on Monday as well on the issue.

“We support a government led by NC,” said CPN-UML chairman Jhal Nath Khanal. “But we need a certain environment to join the government.”

However, UCPN (Maoist) has made it clear that it will not join the government but will stay in the opposition. “We are positive on a NC-led government but we have no intention to join it,” said UCPN(M) leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara. “We look forward to NC’s proposal to write the constitution within a year.”

NC has intensified talks on government formation after President Ram Baran Yadav called on the parties to form a consensus government within 2 February.